Lonely Planet Epic Bike Rides of the Americas

D esert, forest, mountain, or urban jungle: the landscapes of the Americas are unparalleled in their diversity. So it followed that in order to create this book we approached a similarly motley crew of writers to contribute tales of their epic bike rides on these two continents. We asked hardy bike-packing adventurers such as Cass Gilbert, Lael Wilcox, Mark Beaumont and Sarah Swallow; road racers Keir Plaice, Andrew Bernstein and Riley Missel; the all-star editors and writers of Bicycling magazine Gloria Liu and Caitlin Giddings; and, of course, Lonely Planets own group of globe-trotters.

That immense range of terrain means that whatever form of cycling youre into, its not difficult to indulge it, or to try something totally new. For some of our contributors, biking was about escapism and involved nothing more complicated than packing some food, filling a water bottle, and meandering into the distance with the wind at their backs to explore industrial history or rural bliss. One or two went a lot further and, GPS unit in hand, ventured deep into the Andes of South America on laden bikes, powered by nothing more than their legs and a hunger to explore local cultures (and snacks). Weve included several routes in the fast-growing field of bikepacking (like backpacking but on a bicycle!) that will hopefully inspire readers and riders to try something new.

Writers with families in tow recommended accessible rides along such rail trails as the Great Allegheny Passage and the Katy Trail. Other contributors pulled on skin-tight Spandex and sought out challenging climbs on vertiginous roads, whether in Colombia or California. Mountain bikers often preferred the descents, making pilgrimages to places like Whistler and Downieville to find their thrills and spills on rugged trails. Competitive types enjoyed the unique camaraderie of the new breed of gravel races. Our contributors crossed states (Iowa, Maine) and even entire countries (Ecuador, the USA two ways). And more than a few authors agreed that a good ride wasnt complete without a beer or two afterwards with old friends or new.

But what became indisputable whatever your interpretation of epic is that an extraordinary range of cycling experiences is available in the Americas. You can have an epic adventure straight from your front door and be back before sundown. Or you can follow in the tire tracks of Sarah Swallow or Caitlin Giddings and pedal from the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans. We cant all take a sabbatical for cycling so this book also reflects varying levels of commitment. Some of these rides take just a couple of hours, others a day or two, a week, or several months. Weve given a general indication of whether a ride is easy (in terms of terrain, distance, conditions or climate) or more challenging (steeper hills, longer distances, fewer snack stops). The goal of these stories is to inspire you to get your bike out (dusting it off and pumping up the tires first if need be) and explore somewhere new with the wind in your hair.

Cycling is the perfect mode of transport for the travel-lover, we cover more ground than if we were on foot, but without the barriers that a car imposes. We are immersed in our surroundings, self-powered, independent, and forever pondering the question I wonder whats over there?. The bike rider is free to follow a whim, discover the limits of their endurance, or stop and settle for a while. Hopefully, this book will prove that theres no better way of experiencing a place, a culture and its people than by bicycle. And as some of these tales tell, arriving on a bicycle opens doors, literally and figuratively.

This book is organized by country in alphabetical order. Each story features a first-hand account of a fantastic bike ride plus a toolkit to aid the planning of a trip when is the best time of year, how to get there, where to stay. But beyond that, these stories should spark other ideas. Weve started that process with the more like this section following each story, which offers other ideas along a similar theme, not necessarily in the same country. Many of these ideas are well established routes or trails and weve suggested sources of detailed information. The index collects different types of ride for a variety of interests and locations.

Cass Gilbert

bikepacking across Ecuador

Cass Gilbert

alpacas in Bolivia

Matt Munro | Lonely Planet

the Golden Gate Bridge from Marin County, California